Narara: ‘Pelican lady’ Wendy Gillespie pleads guilty to refusing breath test after crash

A seabird rescue volunteer carried on like a pelican after crashing her car in the mud and refused to undergo a breath test, a court has heard.

Environmental crusader Wendy Gillespie at drainage site in Blackwall where pelicans and other wildlife are being killed by a toxic build-up. Meet Wendy on Blackwall Rd opposite leisure centre and she'll take you to site where it's really bad. Pic Sue Graham

A seabird rescue volunteer has pleaded guilty to refusing to undergo a breath test but will apply to have the matter dealt with under mental health laws, a court has heard.

Wendy Gillespie, 63, of Ourimbah, was not required to appear at Gosford Local Court on Thursday where her solicitor entered a guilty plea on her behalf to one count of failing to undergo a breath test.

An agreed set of facts states Gillespie was driving a Mitsubishi panel van on Gilda Drive, Narara, when she failed to negotiate a sweeping bend near the intersection of Mangrove Rd and collided with an embankment about 10.45pm on Saturday, September 30.

“The vehicle has become bogged in the mud on the embankment and got stuck,” the facts state.

“The accused has attempted to remove her vehicle by accelerating which has only caused the vehicle to become more stuck.”

The self-styled “Pelican Lady” (pictured) became stuck in the mud. (File image)

Residents from nearby homes came out to check what was going on and noticed her speech was slurred and she appeared intoxicated so they called police.

Almost an hour later police arrived and she underwent a roadside test which returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.193 — nearly four times the limit.

Police state Gillespie became belligerent and refused to listen. (File image)

“When the accused was informed she was under arrest she became verbally abusive towards police accusing them of being in cahoots with local politicians to kill marine wildlife,” the facts state.

Officers tried to escort her into the back of a caged vehicle but Gillespie was “belligerent and continued to verbally abuse police”.

They eventually got her back to Gosford Police Station where the agreed facts state she accused officers of being corrupt, refused to listen and threatened to assault them.

Police tried to explain that she needed to do a secondary breath test but she refused to leave the dock area so they charged her.

1Gillespie has been involved with pelicans since at least the early 2000s.

The facts state police had spoken to Gillespie since the incident, when they believed she was “more sober”, but she continued to “display the same aggressive behaviour” towards officers and refused to “listen to reason”.

Gillespie — also known as the “Pelican Lady” — currently runs her own volunteer organisation Pelican Rescue and Research but has volunteered with other wildlife groups over the years mostly focusing on rescuing and rehabilitating pelicans.

She was adjourned to April 4 for her lawyer to apply for the matter to be dealt with under mental health laws.

Got a news tip? Email [e-mail]